Rail-joint.



- l l LJ. CLARK RAIL JOIN y ArrLIoATIoN FILED A V v i v UNITED STATES Patented January 31, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.'

EDWARD J. CLARK, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,402, dated January 31, 1905.

Application filed August 29,1904. Serial No. 222.546. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, EDWARD J. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camden, in f the county of Camden and State of New Jersey,

haveinvented certain new and useful Improve v ments in Rail-Joints, of which the following isa specification. v e j This invention relates to rail-joints, and particularly to that class of rail-joints by means of which the'adjacent ends of two rail-sectionsy are not only maintained in alinement, but alsoV insulated from each other.

It is a well-known fact that the wheels of a..

railway-carin passing along a trackway comprising a series of rail-sections causes aslight.`

vertical movement of adjacent ends of railsections with respect to each other, owing to the great weight carri-ed by the wheels, and

it is also a well-known fact that if the railages between the parts will occur on account of the great strain upon the rails. Heretofore great difliculty hasV been rexperienced in maintaining the adjacent endsof rail-sections in alinement ina mannerV to permit the slight vertical movement thereof above referred to. Particularly is this the'case in connection with electrically-insulated rail-joints.

The object of my invention is to overeom this difficulty by providing a construction which Will normally maintain the `adjacent ends of rail-sectionsV in alinement and yet permit a slight vertical movement thereof relatively to each other and in addition to this feature to provide a rail -joint which will electrically insulate the rail-sections from each other. Y e

With this object in View the inventionconsists in the novel construction andl combinations of parts, whiehwill be hereinafter fully described and claimed. A

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved rail-joint. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section, as on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. A isa plan view of two members of the joint. f i

1 and 2 designate the adjacent ends of two rail-sections which are jointed together by my improved rail-joint, whereof land 5 designate two members which extend between said f plates 8 and 9, respectively, arranged beneath the sections. to -meeteach other about midway ofthe railvsections, and the respective ends ofthe plates 8 and 9 are adapted to restupon ties or sleepers 10 to support'the rail-sections'. The plate 9-isprovided with an offset 11 about midway vof its ends, and theplate 8 is provided with a projection 12, fitted to and extending into the oset 11 in amanner to reinforce or strengthen that portion of the plates 8 and 9 which eX- ltends between the ties 10.

Arranged between the plates 6 and 7 and the sides of the rail-sections 1 and 2are blocks 13 and 14, preferably of wood, and extending throughthe plates 6 and 7, blocks 13 and 1.4L, and rail-sections 1 and 2 is a series of bolts 15, each bolt being provided with a head 16 and clamping-nut 17 184 designates a series of bushings of resilient material which are interposed lbetween the bolts 15 and plates 6 and 7. The outer end of each bushing 18 is provided' with a collar` 19, against which the heads 16 and clamping-nuts 17 are adapted to bear, and between the inner faces of the collars 19 and outer faces of the plates 6 and 7 are metal collars 20.

Interposed between the sections 1 and 2 and the plates 8 and 9 is a strip or layer of compressed cork 21'. The bushings .18 are,also made, preferably, of compressed cork. I have found that the employment of compressed cork between the bottom lof the rail-sectionsand the metall member which holds the rail-sections together overcomes many objections heretofore present in rail-joints, forthe reason. that the compressed cork will stand the great strain which Yrail-joints aresubjected to and will permit under Igreat strain the slight vertical movement of the adjacent ends of the rails with respect to each other and always return the ends ofthe rail-sections into alinement after the strain is removed therefrom. In carry- 100 bottom of the rail-v The lower platesl 8 and 9 extend l pressed by any suitable means.

- material between the adjacent ends of the rail-sections a very effective insulating-joint having the advantages hereinbefore mentioned is attained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a rail-joint, the combination with two rail-sections, and the support for the adjacent ends thereot'of a layer of compressed cork interposed between said sections and the support therefor.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination with two rail-sections, of a member extending` beneath and to one side of said sections and adapted to support the adjacent ends thereof, compressed cork interposed between said inember and sections, and means Jfor securing said member and sections together.

3. In a rail-joint, the combination with two rail-sections, of a member extending beneath and to one side of said sections and adapted to support the adjacent ends thereof, compressed cork interposed between said member and sections, bolts to secure said member and sections together, and compressed cork interposed between said bolts and member.

4. In a rail-joint, the combination with two rail-sections, a member extending beneath and to one side ol said sections and adapted to support the adjacent ends thereof, a layer of resilient material interposed between the bottom of said rail-sections and said member, bolts extending through said member and railsections to secure them together, and a bushing of resilient material interposed between each bolt and said member.

In arail-joint, the combination with two rail-sections, a member extending beneath and to one side ot' said sections and adapted to support the adjacent ends thereof, a layer ol compressed cork interposed between the bottom of said rail-sections and said member, bolts extending through said member and said sections to secure them together, and a bushing of compressed cork interposed between each bolt and said member.

In testimony whereof] aliix my sigmlture in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIARI) J CLA l\.l\'.

Vitnesses:

A. V. GROUPE, RALPH H. Gimmmc. 

